Anitta on how her “first hug of the year,” Jack Harlow, cast her in “First Class” video

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Bryan Steffy/Getty Images for MRC

The female lead in Jack Harlow‘s video for his #1 hit “First Class” is Brazilian superstar Anitta. But given that Jack’s from Kentucky, how did the two connect? Well, you can blame Miley Cyrus for that.

“Jack Harlow … was the first hug of my year!” Anitta told ABC Audio at the Billboard Music Awards recently. “This year, we spent New Year’s together doing a Miley Cyrus event.” Specifically, the two appeared on Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party, which aired on NBC December 31, live from Miami.

“We’d met before, but then we started to have a connection,” Anitta explained. “And then he came to Brazil and we had a great time there. And he invited me … [he said], ‘Do you want to be the girl of my video?’ And I said, ‘Yes!'” She laughed, “It just felt great. I love it. And Brazil went crazy!”

Anitta, who recently graced the cover of Billboard magazine, said she feels that she and Jack are on similar paths, and she’s glad that they’re both doing so well.

“I’m so happy about, like, the way we connected as friends and the way we are in our careers, like, very similar right now,” she said. “And I’m really happy about everything he’s doing … everything I’m doing … I mean, it’s just a time for celebrating!”

Anitta’s new album, Versions of Me, just came out in April and features her hit “Girl from Rio,” plus collaborations with Saweetie, Khalid, Ty Dolla $ign and Cardi B. Jack’s new album, Come Home The Kids Miss You, is currently #6 on the Billboard 200.

 

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